FAA asked to re-consider seat size

A US appeal court has ruled that the FAA must look again at a petition from a consumer group campaigning for a legal minimum airline passenger seat width.

The FAA originally dismissed the case by ‘Flyers Rights’ in 2015, arguing that smaller seat sizes did not pose any “immediate safety or security concern”. The group had argued that decreasing seat sizes (from 35in pitch in the 1960s to 28in today and width from 18.5in to 17in) along with increased body size of passengers posed a evacuation issue. However, a D.C Court of Appeals has upheld the groups plea, and asked the FAA to review its original response.